Dance With Me
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: He moved towards her, forcing her back. She felt the metal edge of Vincent's counter dig into her back as she leaned away. Her dark eyes dashed from his eyes to his lips. "What do you want, Zane?" The proxminity of their bodies sent her blood pressure through the roof. Licking his lips, he leaned closer, placing a hand on either side of her. "I want you to dance with me, Jo."


**Dance With Me**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Summary: He moved towards her, forcing her back. She felt the cold metal of the edge of Vincent's counter dig into her back as she leaned away. Her dark eyes dashed back and forth from his eyes to his lips, and he smiled at her. "What do you want, Zane?" She choked out, the close proxminity of their bodies sending her blood pressure through the roof. He watched her for a moment, silent. Licking his lips, he leaned closer, placing a hand on either side of her on the counter. "I want you to dance with me, Jo." **

**A/N: I considered posting this around Valentine's Day, but then I'd have to wait seven months to post it. So I decided to post it now. Enjoy.**

**A/N: fashionstylo wp-content / uploads / 2011 / 09 / jpg . This is Jo's dress, just copy, past and remove the spaces. And picture it red with the black sash.**

Cafe Diem was decked out in the splendor of romance, passion, fire. A proper fit, since Valentine's Day was just around the corner; the cafe was filled to the brim with customers- the whole town had turned out for the pre-Valentine's Day Dinner Party that, Carter joked, was more like an awkward middle school dance than party- here for the food, and the music that pounded from the miniscule speakers.

Couples were dotted at small tables in secluded corners, and small groups took the bigger tables, leaving the small area near the fireplace clear for dancing. Jack glanced around; Henry and Grace, Fargo and Holly, and he and Allison all sat together at their usual table, happily chatting and enjoying their meal. But they all sensed the big change to their small circle of friends.

For the simple fact that two key members were missing.

A certain bad boy rebel physicist and one Head of Global Dynamics Security.

Carter glanced back at the door again, hoping to see the pair slip inside, but his face fell when nothing happened. Following his gaze, Allison laid a hand on his arm. "Zane's probably working, and you know Jo. She doesn't do Valentine's Day." He nodded, but couldn't help feeling like the nerd stood up by the popular girl at the prom.

Eventually, the group settled back to their quiet conversation, casting glances at the door every so often, before turning and watching other couples slip onto the dance floor. Not long after Allison and Carter returned from the dance floor, the door opened and every head at the small group turned. Zane glanced around, before going to the counter, nodding to the three couples. He cleaned up, casual in a nice suit and tie, looking like he should be going to the ballet with a certain raven-head. Not five minutes later, Jo poked her head through the door.

Carter, noticing, nudged Allison and pointed towards his former deputy. The others all turned; Jo seemed to be contemplating her next move, and after a moment, she withdrew, shutting the door softly behind her. Carter's face fell as the young woman disappeared, and reluctantly, he turned back to see Zane at the bar, ignoring everything and everyone around him. The sheriff could see the antisocial attitude rear its head again- something he'd seen when Zane had first come to Eureka, back in the other timeline. He knew the posture and the attitude that accompanied it, because he saw it in Jo all the time.

If anything, the physicist and the Head of Security, were more alike than they liked to admit- at least in the antisocial behavior category.

Taking a sip of his champagne, Carter barely focused on the conversation, and out of habit, he turned when the door opened again and someone stepped inside. He sat up, setting his glass down as the others all turned to see who had captured his attention.

Jo.

The young Head of Security stood with her hands behind her back. Her long raven hair was pulled back in its customary prim and proper ponytail, and she kept her head down. But what got everyone, was what she was wearing.

Instead of her customary powersuits, she was in a strapless red dress with ruching on the bust, and a smooth bodice that began beneath her breasts and flared out into a skirt that just reached her knees. The slightly filmy red overlay of the dress was about an inch longer than the underskirt, and an inch-wide black sash was tied around her waist in a bow at her side. A simple pair of black heels were on her feet, and she wore her light black button-down jacket over the dress, open. Her make up was minimal, and Carter could see a simple chain around her neck- no doubt the same chain that held the engagement ring the other Zane had given her.

Carter couldn't believe it.

_Jo_... in a... a _dress_!

If this _wasn't_ a sign of the apocolypse, he didn't know _what_ was.

She took a deep breath, and looked around, finally taking a step into the cafe. Couples sat together, enjoying a meal or sharing a kiss; dancing and talking softly. She noticed her friends, and went to them. Stopping by Allison, she couldn't help the surge of loneliness as she realized that they all had someone... and she didn't.

And she never would again.

Her pity party was broken up when Allison reached out and took her hand.

"Jo, you look beautiful." She gave the good doctor a small smile.

"Thank you, Allison." She looked up when Fargo grabbed another chair, setting it down for her.

"Please, Jo, join us." Quickly, the woman shook her head, horrified and embarrassed.

"I couldn't..."

"Yes you can, Jo, you're just as much a part of this group as everyone else." Allison said. Again, the woman shook her head.

"No. I don't want to spoil your dinner. Besides, I'd feel like a seventh wheel, and I... I was just planning on getting something to eat and heading home..."

"'All dressed up and nowhere to go?'" Henry spoke the timeless phrase, gesturing to the seat. "Sit Jo. You're not a seventh wheel, you're family."

"We love you, Jo. Every single one of us." Grace added. Holly reached out to take her hand, but she pulled away.

"We never exclude anyone." She said, glancing at the others. Jo shook her head again, firmer this time. Carter was the only one that understood her reluctance to join them. After a moment, he got up, going to her.

"Oh Jo..." His soft voice was the same that had comforted her after Zane fled that ill-fated Founder's Day. It brought everything back, and she let him take her shoulders; she didn't notice him take her jacket off and drape it over the chair. She took a deep breath.

"Not now, Carter. Okay?" He nodded, noticing as she reached up and pressed her hand to her throat, her fingers tangling briefly in the chain. The others cast confused glances towards her neck, but she ignored them, her breath catching as she turned her gaze to the counter. After a moment, she grabbed her jacket and put it back on, brushing past Carter and going to the opposite end of the counter. "Vincent?"

The man turned, and his mouth dropped at the sight of the young raven-head in a dress. Recovering quickly from the shock, he went to her. "What can I get you, Jo? A table?" She shook her head.

"I'm not staying. Just something to eat. To go."

"You're not staying? But Jo-"

"_Please Vincent_." She begged softly. He nodded at the pleading in her eyes and hurried to do her bidding. Once he was gone, she turned to survey the room, moving closer and closer to the door, planning her hasty escape once Vincent came back with her dinner. Zane had slipped back to Carter and the others to say goodnight, and hadn't noticed her; she turned her gaze to the dance floor. Couples held each other closely as music wafted in the air. She relaxed, realizing that she could get in and out without being spotted by _him_. In a matter of minutes, she'd be tucked safely in her bed at home...

"Jo!"

She jumped, her spine suddenly rigid. She closed her eyes briefly, swallowing her fear before turning to face the owner of the voice.

Zane.

Oh God, he looked gorgeous in that suit. The light stubble on his cheeks only added to his bad boy image and made her heart pound. She glanced back at Vincent, but he hadn't returned. Squaring her shoulders, she met his gaze.

"Mr. Donovan." She replied, as he moved closer.

"Don't pull that 'Mr. Donovan' crap on me." He replied, getting closer. She took a step back, allowing someone to slip between them and go to the counter, praying that he would go away. She'd been tortured enough since coming to this new time, she just wanted one night of peace without Zane fucking it up.

But she wasn't going anywhere, as Zane walked towards her. Were this a normal day, she could have easily slipped out of the cafe, but because of the occasion, her path was blocked by the tricky maze of tables and couples, who all watched the pair, interested.

He moved towards her, forcing her back. Eventually, she felt the cold metal of the edge of Vincent's counter dig into her back as she leaned away from him, bending back to avoid the urge to kiss him- or let him kiss her. Her dark eyes dashed back and forth from his eyes to his lips, and he smiled at her.

"What do you want, Zane?" She choked out, the close proxminity of their bodies sending her blood pressure through the roof. He watched her for a moment, silent. Licking his lips, he leaned closer, placing a hand on either side of her on the counter.

"I want you to dance with me, Jo."

Vincent, and every other patron in the cafe, watched with bated breath, desperate to know what would happen. But before she could respond, the music changed. The couples on the dance floor had stopped dancing and now watched. The young pair could just imagine the bets made around them in regards to this night.

An insessant, could-have-been-annoying song from the nineties floated into the room from the speakers. It seemed directed at the pair at the counter, singing out the desires that built within them with each beat of the pulse.

_"'Oh come and dance with me, my baby. Let's dance, till we go crazy. The night is young and so are we- Let's make love and dance the night away._

_What I really wanna do, is just dance with you. And feel your body tight; show ya how to do it right. I can show you every move, I know just what to do. Each step will feel so fine- One dance and you'll be mine-_

_So baby, when we hit the floor, you'll be asking for more. Let's make love and dance the night away...'"_

She looked around; all eyes were on them, waiting. What made the situation even worse, was that the lyrics of the song were basically singing- no, screaming- out what she'd been dreaming of doing for months. She bit her lip. He glanced from her lips to her eyes, smirking softly before pulling away. She straightened, her breathing rapid. But as she pushed herself away from the counter, Zane grabbed the back of her head and pressed his mouth to hers, stifling any scream of protest she'd considered uttering.

The others in the cafe watched in delight as he kissed her. She struggled for a moment, before her desire gave in and she kissed him back, her arms slowly going around his neck. He pulled her jacket off her shoulders and pulled her flush against him, one arm snaking around her waist. His fingers worked to pull the band holding her hair, and suddenly, a waterfall of raven silk tumbled about the pair.

Forced to come up for air, she pulled away, resting her forehead against his. She shook her head. "You shouldn't have done that._ I let you go_." Tears pricked her eyes, and she struggled to keep them from falling. He chuckled softly.

"But I didn't let you go. I can't. I love you too much, Jojo." He kissed her again, deeply, before pulling away and leaning towards her ear. In a whisper that caressed the shell of her ear and sent shivers down her spine, he said, "We may have skipped being friends in the other time, but that doesn't mean I don't care about you. I love you, Jo. I can't let you go. You're the most important person in my life, and I'm not going to lose you. I lost you once. Not again."

She pulled away, staring into his eyes. "I just... I need more time... to... to fully let you _go_..."

"You listen to me, Jo. We either figure this out- together- or end it now. But all this back and forth... it's killing me. I can't do it anymore." The hurt in his beautiful blue eyes tugged at her heart. She swallowed, buying for time to think.

_"'Oh put your hand in mine, promise I'll take my time. We'll dance from head to toe. I can dance fast or slow. Baby look into my eyes, let the music hypnotize, let our bodies synchronize- When we're dancing, you'll be mine._

_So baby when we hit the floor, you'll be asking for more. Let's make love and dance the night away...'"_

Taking a deep breath, she asked, "What do you want from me, Zane?"

He reached out, tugging gently on the chain around her neck, until he held the engagement ring. He stared at it for a moment, and then gently broke the chain. She watched him, confused.

"What are you-"

"I love you, Jo. No matter where, no matter what time, I love you. I always have, and I always will. We're meant to be. Something aligned in the stars the day we met, and it's been trying to get us together ever since. We both know it. We're meant to be. I can't remember the other proposal, but I can guarantee I'll remember this one."

Then, he knelt before her, taking her hand. She glanced around, a blush forming on her cheeks. "I love you, Jo. I realize that now. When I'm not with you, life doesn't... it doesn't exist. You're the order to my chaos, and I need you in my life. For the _rest_ of my life."

Without saying a word, he took her hand and slipped it on her finger. Her mouth dropped in shock, as did everyone elses'.

"Marry me, Jojo."

She glanced around, hating the spotlight she'd been thrown into. They all watched with bated breath, anticipating her answer. She glanced at Carter, who nodded, giving her a knowing smile. Taking a deep breath, she turned her gaze back to Zane. Licking her lips, she opened her mouth, only to close it.

Those three words screamed in her mind- for a moment, she was back in Carter's office, in front of _her_ Zane on that fated Founder's Day, holding the small black box he'd hidden in the box from Liza's Lingerie... She was watching as he got down on one knee and told her that they should make it official, that she'd made an honest man of him...

He waited; a part of him knew she would freeze like before, and he steeled himself for the heartache. Though he didn't know what had truly happened in the other time, he knew that she'd frozen and he'd left, breaking her heart like she'd broken his. He knew that their lives- their relationship- hinged on one word.

She could break his heart, or heal it.

_Yes or no?_

He didn't know that those same thoughts were running circles in her own head. After a moment, she nodded, giving him a small smile. "Yes. Yes, Zane, I'll marry you."

The cafe erupted in cheers and applause; Carter did a little happy dance, but neither noticed. They were locked in a passionate embrace, arms tight around each other. The ring sparked in the light, from its perch on her finger. When the two broke apart, Vincent set a to go carton on the counter in front of the pair, with two cups of coffee. Zane glanced over at Vincent, nodding to him. "Thanks, Vince." The cafe owner nodded.

"Let me know when the wedding is. I can't wait to cater." Jo blushed, burying her face in Zane's neck. After a moment, he tugged on Jo's hand, leading her out to the dance floor.

"Zane, where are we going?" She asked, as he pulled her against him. The same song started up again, and the two fell into a dance- that all others in the cafe watched. Their small group sat in awe, amazed as Zane led Jo about the small dance floor. "Where did you learn to dance?" She asked, as he spun her back into his arms, the skirt of her dress whirling out around her.

"My mom taught me, believe it or not. She'd take me to her weekly ballroom classes when I was a kid. I loved them, because for a while, I could forget everything but dancing with my mom, even after my dad left. Even know, every once and while, when I go up to visit her, we stop by the ballroom studio; it brings back old memories."

"Happy memories." She said, looking up at him. He nodded, glancing back at their small group. Carter couldn't hide the smile that split his face, Allison, Grace and Holly all had tears in their eyes, and Fargo and Henry watched them with huge grins. She turned to look at their small group, and Zane took the opportunity to lean down and whisper into her ear,

"We're going to have a lot of happy memories, Jojo. Starting with tonight." She looked up at him, giving him a bright smile. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her lips as they continued to sway to their song.

When the song ended, Zane took her hand and went to the counter, grabbing the food before going to their friends. Henry and Grace were the first up to congratulate the couple. Holly and Fargo were next. By the time Allison wrapped her arms around Zane, Jo had been steeling herself for Carter's girly reaction.

But when Jo turned to him, he stood and just smiled at her, holding out his arms. She went to him, letting his arms wrap tight around her in a bear hug. "Congrats, Jo. It's about time. You deserve this, Jo. Don't ever doubt that." She squeezed back.

"Thanks, Carter." When she pulled away, she took Zane's hand and stole a quick kiss. She waved quickly at them as they left; once they were gone, the cafe erupted in excitment over the engagement and pending wedding.

_An hour later_

While the couples at Cafe Diem were enjoying themselves, talking and laughing, gossiping about the engagement that had taken place earlier, and enjoying themselves as Cupid worked his magic early, one pair- the subjects of the gossip that was spreading through the town like wildfire- was giving in to their passion.

After a contented, quiet dinner in the moonlight flooding through the windows of Zane's house, the two slipped upstairs to his bedroom, letting their passion take over. The song they'd danced to earlier wafted towards them from the speakers of Jo's ipod, and as their passion grew and their climax was reached, he whispered the four words that he would get to tell her for the rest of their lives.

"I love you, Jojo."

As they lay together after, their bodies coated lightly with sweat and the scent of sex, she snuggled closer to him, resting her head over his heart. He traced circles on her back, not expecting- or needing or wanting- to hear the words, knowing that she loved him.

_"'Oh come and dance with me, my baby. Let's dance, till we go crazy, The night is young and so are we. Let's make love and dance the night away._

_Oh, when it comes to dancing, I know how to move. When it comes to passion, I know just what to do. I feel the music inside, I feel like I am alive, the tempo is right- Let's make love...'"_

But she looked up at him, giving him a warm, happy smile. Capturing his lips in a kiss, she whispered,

"I love you too."


End file.
